Paramedics, Bar Staff, Victim’s Cousin Testify At Trial In Halifax Alehouse Death - Beritaja
The proceedings for a erstwhile barroom information serviceman charged pinch manslaughter continued successful a Halifax courtroom Tuesday, pinch grounds from paramedics, barroom staff, and a relative of the unfortunate who witnessed the events of Christmas Eve 2022.
Alexander Pishori Levy, 40, is charged pinch manslaughter and criminal negligence causing decease successful the homicide of Ryan Sawyer.
At the time, Levy was employed arsenic information unit astatine the Halifax Alehouse barroom successful downtown Halifax.
Around 1:15 a.m. connected Dec. 24, 2022, constabulary responded to a disturbance involving respective group successful the 1700-block of Brunswick Street. When officers arrived, they recovered Sawyer, who was from Ajax, Ont., unresponsive connected the sidewalk of Prince Street, adjacent the Halifax Alehouse.
The 31-year-old was transported to the hospital, wherever he later died.
Two paramedics testified Tuesday successful the judge-only trial. They described really the unfortunate was not breathing and without a beat erstwhile they arrived connected segment to find a constabulary serviceman performing CPR.
They besides described upwards of 100 group extracurricular the bar, including first responders and a crowd of onlookers.
Paramedic Glenn Sentner told the tribunal Sawyer “had bluish lips” and was “pale” erstwhile he saw him. He was besides covered successful vomit, and continued to vomit during thorax compressions.
“(We were) ne'er capable to get (his) heartrate back,” he said.
Sawyer’s cousin, Madison Brennan, besides took the stand, recounting the nighttime she went retired pinch him and his brother, Kyle.
Brennan said it was a engaged nighttime astatine the Alehouse, and that she mislaid way of her cousins a mates of times during their clip astatine the bar.
She noted that upon arrival, Kyle Sawyer recognized Levy but the bouncer blew him off, saying, “I don’t care. I don’t cognize you.” She told the tribunal Kyle Sawyer seemed shocked by the response.
Brennan described her cousins arsenic “drunk” that night, and said she heard a commotion wrong the bar. When she went extracurricular and saw an serviceman trying to resuscitate Ryan Sawyer, she “started spiraling” and was “hysterical.”
Jason Fraser, a information defender connected unit that night, said the 2 brothers were progressive successful the commotion and were asked to time off by himself and different information guard.
“Ryan was putting his overgarment connected and was getting fresh to leave,” he said, adding that some brothers were agitated.
Fellow information unit personnel Simon Wheller echoed that sentiment, and called Ryan Sawyer’s guidance agitated.
“He was truthful agitated he couldn’t put his jack connected right, kept putting it connected upside down,” he said.
Trial began Monday
The proceedings began Monday, erstwhile 4 constabulary officers testified about the nighttime successful question.
One serviceman told the tribunal he witnessed Levy pinch Ryan Sawyer successful a “chokehold” and that he knew thing was very incorrect pinch him because he had turned limp and his look was purple.
Another serviceman elaborate his acquisition seeing Kyle Sawyer successful a scuffle pinch different bouncer nearby.
Kyle Sawyer was arrested but later released without charges. He besides took the guidelines Monday, describing what had been a nosy nighttime retired pinch his relative — drinking astatine a mates bars earlier arriving astatine the Alehouse.
He recounted being asked to time off the barroom aft spilling his portion connected a customer. He testified a verbal altercation took spot extracurricular the barroom pinch the bouncers and that he pushed Levy.
Kyle Sawyer told the tribunal he ended up connected the crushed pinch different bouncer, and recalled astatine 1 constituent screaming, “I can’t breathe.”
Ryan Sawyer’s decease prompted calls to amended information astatine the province’s bars and oversight for information staff.
In May 2023, the state announced that information unit astatine late-night bars will now request to undergo a criminal cheque and information training. They will besides request to supply a criminal grounds cheque “on request” and complete a responsible beverage work training program.
The Halifax Alehouse has since closed down, and the building has been sold to a developer.
The proceedings is expected to proceed into adjacent week.
–with a record from Skye Bryden-Blom
© 2025 BERITAJA, a section of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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